Spring Clean(s)ing

Spring Clean(s)ing

In the spirit of spring-cleaning and ‘out with the old and in with the new’, we Geeks have picked out our top 5 products we’ll be investing in this season…

Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream

Clinique have really done their homework, and have brought us an eye cream that can solve all of our cosmetic concerns in one; puffiness, dryness, wrinkles and eye bags all treated in one swift application of Pep Start! With glycerin, sodium hyaluronate and shea butter adding hydration to the delicate skin around our eyes and caffeine and St Paul’s Wort helping to reduce inflammation and de-puff our eyes. Add in mica and titanium dioxide, which will add a subtle touch of shimmer and provide a little coverage by blurring any under-eye perfections, and you’ve rid your eyes of tiredness in one swift application.

We Geeks feel that cleansing is the backbone of any skincare routine and so it’s hardly surprising that our search for the best products to help us wipe away the day is an on-going one. Formulated with the help of plastic surgeons, Bye Bye Makeup claims to deep cleanse the skin, removing all traces of makeup even the hard to remove waterproof mascara, without drying out our skin. It’s fair to say we’ve never seen such an impressive list of moisturising ingredients in a cleansing formula before. Cholesterol and ceramides are key components of our skins barrier, and it is this barrier that traps water in and maintains our skins hydration. So it stands to reason that topical application of cholesterol and ceramide, along with the fatty acids found in the shea butter also in this formula, can strengthen the skins barrier and help to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Working alongside these ingredients is squalane, which due to its incredible likeness to squalene (a component of sebum), it is quickly and easily absorbed by our skin and is great at keeping it hydrated. But the moisturising ability of this cleanser doesn’t stop there! Also packed into this formula are glycerin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid and mineral oil, all of which are excellent at holding onto water and plumping out the outermost layers of the skin, leaving our skin looking and feeling healthier after cleansing.

In the winter months, it’s easy to hide badly behaving skin by snuggling down into a huge scarf. As we emerge from our woollen hibernation and head into spring, it’s time to start banishing our winter beauty bothers – we’re talking dryness, uneven skin-tone and a desperate need for oomph! Including both hydrolysed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer; Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water boasts a double dose of hydration!

Paula’s choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid is a leave on exfoliant that claims to ‘unclog and shrink enlarged pores and reduce redness to create radiant and even-toned skin’. Salicylic acid is commonly found in acne treatments for its keratolytic property, meaning it can loosen the connections between adjacent skin cells, to make it easier for the top layer of skin cells to be shed. Shedding those dead and unwanted skin cells helps to unclog pores and prevent future breakouts too! Working alongside salicylic acid in the fight against acne is green tea.

When applied to the skin it can neutralise damaging free radicals that have been connected to premature skin ageing. Research has also linked green tea to improving the hydration of our skin, leaving it feeling smoother and more moisturised following use of salicylic acid.

Skin ageing is a concern for most of us skincare obsessives, and we’ll try anything and everything to slow down the process and prolong our youthful looks. Sadly, it’s not just those pesky fine lines and wrinkles that can give our age away, with dark spots, uneven skin tone and patches of pigmentation adding years on too. Instead of targeting individual signs of ageing, Oskia aim to combat hyperpigmentation, fade dark spots and repair sun damage all in one go. Packed with an impressive amount of anti-ageing ingredients including niacinamide, arbutin, glutathione and not one but two forms of vitamin C, age spots and uneven skin tone will be a thing of the past. To help us achieve that ‘brighter, more illuminated complexion’ they promised, Oskia have included a whole host of great moisturising ingredients including sodium hyaluronate, glycerin and linoleic acid.